1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roller which acts as a reel or spool for string which is used as a guide line for marking pavement, excavating, and other construction related activities.
2. Description of Related Art
In the construction field it is often necessary to provide a taut string or line to be used, for example, as a guide in marking pavement or as a guide when performing an excavating operation. Such lines are generally anchored at one end using heavy weights, stakes driven into the ground, or batter boards. It is not uncommon for such lines to be stretched out over hundreds of feet. Gathering up such a long length of line each time the guide line setup has to be moved from one location to the next, is time consuming and inconvenient. Sometimes, it may be possible for two workers to move a string by having each worker move a respective end of the string, however, this maneuver is rarely possible because oftentimes there are too many obstacles at the site thatwould prevent such a maneuver. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have a means for quickly gathering up a guide string and for quickly paying out the guide string once the guide string has been moved. Such a device would also have the added benefit of allowing a single worker to quickly and conveniently move a guide string without requiring the assistance of a second worker, thus freeing up valuable laborer time.
Devices that are designed to reel in or unreel string, rope, hose and the like are known. Examples of such devices apper in the reference cited below.
U.S. Pat. No. 222,854, issued to Robert H. Avery on Dec. 23, 1879, shows a reel for laying out a cord for use as a guide in planting corn. U.S. Pat. No. 320,555, issued to Henry F. Haslam on Jun. 23, 1885, shows a reel with a crank handle for reeling in a chalk line. U.S. Pat. No. 508,426, issued to Friedrich C. Klipstein on Nov. 14, 1893, shows a carriage having a reel for carrying wire. The reel in Klipstein is turned by a chain and sprocket arrangement driven by the axle of the carriage wheels. U.S. Pat. No. 511,232, issued to Joseph E. Brazee on Dec. 19, 1893, shows a reel for wire which also acts to stretch the wire. The reel in Brazee is supported by a frame and the reel is configured to turn in only one direction using a ratchet and pawl arrangement. U.S. Pat. No. 2,610,003, issued to Robert D. Bond et al. on Sep. 9, 1952, shows a hose reel with a combined handle and support frame. The reel in Bond et al. has a spoked wheel at either end thereof.
Swiss Patent-Related Document Number 359293, by Henri Schmid et al., dated Feb. 15, 1962, shows a reel for reeling in a plumb bob. United Kingdom Patent Specification Number 901,606, by Archibald Donald Davidson, dated Jul. 18, 1962, shows a reel for hose or electric cable that can be easily dismantled.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. In particular, none of the above references is seen to teach or suggest a reel particularly suited for reeling in string by using contact with the ground to turn the reel and with very little additional effort being required apart from walking toward the anchored end of the string.
The present invention is directed to a roller which acts as a reel or spool for string which is used as a guide line for marking pavement, excavating, and other construction related activities. The roller has a pair of solid rubber tires at each end thereof. The roller is rotatably supported on a spindle which is attached to one end of a crank shaped rod. The other end of the crank shaped rod terminates in a handle or grip. The butt end of the grip has a threaded hole for receiving a threaded extension projecting from an elongated handle resembling a staff. A quantity of string is wound around the roller for use as a guide line for marking pavement, excavating, and other construction related activities.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a device for convenient unreeling and taking up of line used as a guide in construction related activities.
It is another object of the invention to provide a roller for taking up of line, used as a guide in construction related activities, as the user walks toward a point at which the end of the string is anchored.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a roller for taking up of line, which is set in rotational motion by contact with the ground.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a roller supported by an elongated handle such that the roller can be caused to rotate due to contact with the ground without the user having to bend.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.